E-commerce · Jaipur, Rajasthan
Frontier Markets
Rural social-commerce platform serving last-mile households via women "Saheli" agents.
Founded by Ajaita Shah
Verified by Women Can StartupSnapshot
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Jaipur, Rajasthan
- Industry
- E-commerce
- Business model
- Impact / Rural Commerce
- Funding stage
- Series B
- Employees
- 51-200
- Markets
- India
- Last updated
- 10 August 2026
About Frontier Markets
Frontier Markets is a Jaipur social commerce company that reaches rural households through a network of trained women entrepreneurs known as Saral Jeevan Sahelis. Ajaita Shah founded it in 2011 after years working in Indian microfinance. Sahelis use the company's assisted e-commerce app, Meri Saheli, to sell solar products, home appliances, smartphones and services door to door, earning commissions on sales and servicing. The network has grown past 10,000 sahelis serving over 700,000 rural customers across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha.
Founder
Ajaita Shah
Woman FounderFounder & CEO
Ajaita Shah grew up in New York in a family from Jaipur and studied international relations at Tufts University. She moved to India in 2005 to work in microfinance with organisations including SKS and Ujjivan, then founded Frontier Markets in 2011 to build rural distribution led by women.
Industry classification
E-commerce Rural Social Commerce
Funding
Investors: ENGIE Rassembleurs d'Energies, The Rise Fund
Ideal customers
Awards & recognition
- Schwab Foundation Award for Social Entrepreneurship (2024)
- Forbes 30 Under 30 — Social Entrepreneur
Founder story
In-depth profile
How Ajaita Shah built Frontier Markets
Seven years inside Indian microfinance taught her that villages were not short of products or of credit. They were short of somebody trustworthy to buy from. Her answer was to hire the women already living there.
Read the story →Website, social & contact
Contact Frontier Markets
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Frontier Markets do?
- Frontier Markets is a Jaipur social commerce company that reaches rural households through a network of trained women entrepreneurs known as Saral Jeevan Sahelis. Ajaita Shah founded it in 2011 after years working in Indian microfinance. Sahelis use the company's assisted e-commerce app, Meri Saheli, to sell solar products, home appliances, smartphones and services door to door, earning commissions on sales and servicing. The network has grown past 10,000 sahelis serving over 700,000 rural customers across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha.
- Who founded Frontier Markets?
- Frontier Markets was founded by Ajaita Shah.
- Where is Frontier Markets headquartered?
- Frontier Markets is headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
- Is Frontier Markets funded?
- Yes — Frontier Markets is venture-funded and has reached the Series B stage.
- When was Frontier Markets founded?
- Frontier Markets was founded in 2011.